So, you’ve decided to create your own website and join the 61 million websites using WordPress. That’s a great decision, Congratulations!
WordPress doesn’t require you to learn web design to use it efficiently, and you’ll be easily able to add functions to your website using a wide range of available plugins and themes.
Creating a successful WordPress website requires more than just good design and content. Picking the right hosting provider is crucial as it affects your website’s performance, reliability, and the support you get.
With so many WordPress hosting options out there, finding the best WordPress hosting service for your needs can be tough. In this guide, I’ll assist you in selecting the ideal WordPress hosting for your website from various options available, including Free, Shared, VPS, Dedicated, and Managed WordPress hosting.
By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of what it takes to select a good WordPress hosting provider for your website.
What is WordPress hosting and why is it unique?
WordPress hosting is a type of service made specifically for WordPress websites. It’s popular because it’s customized to work really well with WordPress, making your site faster and safer.
When you choose a WordPress hosting provider, you’re not just getting space to keep your website. You also get special features made just for WordPress websites, like easy ways to install WordPress, plugins that work really well, and settings that follow WordPress rules.
Let me now explain the different WordPress hosting options available to you.
Shared Hosting vs. Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
Shared hosting and Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting are two common types of web hosting services available for hosting websites. Let’s take a closer look at what they have in common and how they cater to the different requirements of hosting a website.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting involves multiple websites sharing resources on the same physical server. It’s a cost-effective option suitable for individuals and small businesses with limited budgets.
However, since resources are shared among multiple websites, the performance of your website may be affected by the activity of other websites on the same server. Additionally, you have limited control over server settings, as they are managed by the hosting provider.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting, on the other hand, provides each website with a dedicated virtual server built on top of a physical server, which is separate from the other websites.
This means your website has guaranteed resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage space, offering better performance, stability, and security compared to shared hosting.
With VPS hosting, you have more control and flexibility over server settings, allowing you to customize configurations and scale resources as needed.
Managed vs. Unmanaged WordPress Hosting
You can host WordPress websites using either managed or unmanaged WordPress hosting. To help you understand which option is most suited to your needs, let me explain the differences between them in order for you to determine which is the best fit.
Managed WordPress hosting
Managed WordPress hosting is a service where the hosting provider takes care of all the technical aspects of running a WordPress website. This includes tasks such as WordPress installation, automatic updates, daily backups, security monitoring, and performance optimization.
With managed hosting, you don’t need to worry about managing servers or handling technical issues, as the hosting provider handles everything for you. This makes managed WordPress hosting an excellent choice for users who want a hassle-free experience and don’t have technical expertise.
Unmanaged WordPress hosting
On the other hand, unmanaged WordPress hosting, also known as self-managed or DIY hosting, requires you to handle all the technical aspects of managing your WordPress website.
This includes tasks such as server setup, software installation, security configurations, backups, updates, and troubleshooting any issues that arise. With unmanaged hosting, you have full control and flexibility over your server environment, allowing you to customize settings and install any software or plugins you need.
However, it also means you’re responsible for maintaining and securing your website, which requires technical knowledge and expertise.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a WordPress Hosting Plan
Everywhere you look, there are companies promoting their WordPress hosting services as the perfect fit for you. Before you decide, it’s essential to research and compare different options.
While choosing a WordPress hosting plan for your website, you should take into consideration a number of factors, including the speed of the hosting, the security of the servers, and the quality of customer service they provide.
Performance
To understand what WordPress hosting is, think about how well your website performs and how helpful the customer support is.
Performance is crucial because it affects things like how quickly your site loads and how many people buy from it. For instance, if your site loads faster, you’re more likely to make sales. Make sure the hosting service you choose promises at least 99% uptime, meaning your site should be accessible almost all the time.
Look for features like a content delivery network (CDN) and built-in caching, as they can make your site load faster.
You can also test the speed of different WordPress hosts by using tools like PageSpeed Insights and Pingdom. They’ll help you see which host is best for making your site fast and reliable.
Scalability
Scalability is another important factor to consider when choosing a WordPress hosting plan.
When you first start out, you might go for the cheapest hosting option available, which is okay. But as more people visit your website, this type of hosting might not be enough. Your site might slow down or even crash if it can’t handle the increased traffic.
That’s why it’s important to pick a hosting provider that can grow with your website. Look for a host that offers plans that can handle more traffic, like VPS hosting. This way, you won’t have to switch hosts when your website gets more popular.
Security
Security is really important when choosing a WordPress web host. You need to make sure that your data, as well as your customers’ data, stays safe and protected.
Unfortunately, cyber-attacks are becoming more common. A survey found that almost half of the businesses surveyed experienced between one and five successful cyber-attacks.
Another report predicts that cybercrime will cost businesses around $10.5 trillion by 2025.
The good news is that many WordPress hosts offer strong security measures to keep your data safe. These measures include things like protection against malware, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to block malicious traffic, Secure Shell (SSH) access for secure communication, and free SSL certificates to encrypt data transmitted between your website and your visitors’ browsers.
Customer support
Having reliable support is crucial when you’re running a WordPress website, especially if you’re new to it. Sometimes, things can go wrong, and it’s essential to know that your hosting provider can help you out in those situations.
Before you choose a hosting company, it’s a good idea to check what options they offer for contacting support. Look for hosts that provide different ways to reach them, like email and phone.
I always try reaching out to their support team myself to see how quick and helpful they are. If they have live chat support, you can ask them some questions and see how long it takes for them to respond.
Another thing you can do is check reviews on sites like G2 to see what experiences other people have had with the hosting provider’s support team. This can give you a good idea of what to expect if you ever need help.
Best WordPress Hosting Providers for Different Budgets
When it comes to WordPress hosting, pricing varies based on your specific needs and budget. Different hosting providers offer various price points, so it’s essential to compare them to find the best option for your business.
For example, one hosting provider might have higher prices but offer more features and resources, while another might have lower prices but fewer features. It’s crucial to consider not just the initial cost but also the long-term value.
Choosing the cheapest option might seem like a good idea at first, but it could end up costing you more in the long run. Cheaper hosts may not provide adequate speed or security, leading to decreased website performance or even outages.
In addition to this, beware of hidden costs such as security add-ons or overage fees. Some hosts may also charge extra for certain features or compliance requirements, so it’s essential to factor in these potential expenses when comparing prices.
Here are my top choices for web hosts that have all the important features every modern website needs. I’ve organized them based on different budgets so you can find the best option for you.
A2 Hosting
For the cheapest option, my preference is A2 Hosting, which provides reliable hosting with plans like the Startup plan at just $2.99/month. It also offers upgrades for increased performance and features to suit various website needs.
A2 Hosting prioritizes speed and offers hosting in multiple locations. Thus, if you are looking for a reliable hosting provider with a very limited budget, then A2 hosting is the best bet.
WP Engine
WP Engine is a good choice for those with a mid-range budget. It’s a managed WordPress hosting service that offers 1-click staging sites and prioritizes speed.
It’s particularly suitable for businesses. Prices start at £16 per month, and it comes with 24/7 live chat support, which is known for being reliable and helpful.
Related: WPX Hosting vs WP Engine
Kinsta
Kinsta is ideal for website owners who prioritize speed, reliability, and top-notch support. It’s perfect for businesses, bloggers, and anyone who wants their WordPress site to load quickly and perform well.
If you value excellent performance and customer service, Kinsta is the right choice for you. With the plans starting from $35 per month, you are getting a wide range of features that other hosts don’t offer.
It’s a great choice for both new and experienced website owners.
Related: WPX Hosting vs Kinsta
WPX Hosting
WPX Hosting stands out as my top choice for WordPress hosting due to its reliability and feature-rich plans. It offers three managed WordPress hosting plans: Business, Professional, and Elite.
There are a number of features available with each of our plans, including easy WordPress installation, unlimited site migration, SSL certificates, email addresses, staging, and much more.
The Business plan is good for hosting up to 5 websites with 10GB storage and 100GB bandwidth. The Professional plan allows up to 15 websites with 20GB storage and 200GB bandwidth.
For larger businesses, the Elite plan accommodates up to 35 websites with 40GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth.
WPX Hosting pricing
WPX Hosting provides excellent value for the money with its comprehensive features. With a monthly fee of $20.83 ($249.99 if you opt for annual payment), the Business plan offers the best value for money. WPX Hosting also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for peace of mind.
Related: 90% Off WPX Hosting Coupon
Upgrading or Downgrading Your WordPress Hosting Plan
When considering whether to upgrade or downgrade your WordPress hosting plan, it’s essential to first understand the current state of your website and its hosting requirements.
Take a close look at your website’s performance, traffic patterns, and resource usage to identify any limitations or areas for improvement with your existing plan.
If you’re experiencing issues like slow loading times or frequent downtime, upgrading to a higher-tier plan with more resources and enhanced features may be necessary to address these concerns.
If the needs of your website have decreased or you want to reduce your hosting costs, downsizing might be a good choice.
Research the available plans offered by your hosting provider, considering factors like scalability, performance enhancements, and cost-effectiveness. Reach out to your hosting provider’s customer support to discuss migration options and plan for potential downtime during the transition process.
After making any changes to your hosting plan, closely monitor your website’s performance to ensure that the new plan meets your expectations.
Regularly review your website’s hosting requirements and be prepared to adjust your plan as needed to support its continued growth and success.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve made your decision on a new host, the next step is likely migrating your website. I hope you found this guide useful and will now be able to pick the best hosting plan for your website.
If you go with any of the hostings I recommended above, you can’t go wrong. Happy blogging!
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